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March 20, 2013

Do Just One Thing... Less!

So originally this was going to be an "Ask the Trainer" post, until I realized I'd actually forgotten to Ask one of the Trainers! So later I guess on that.

And then I thought, hey, what about a Wordless Wednesday post, that'll be quick! But that would require finding a copyright-free image so earth-shattering it would shut me up entirely, and that quest would not ultimately be any sort of time-saver.

Part of the reason I got a late start posting is I was having fun swingin' in the park, and then got caught up in email, which I get a lot of, and I was pondering the thought-provoking Just One Thing missive I receive that was all about Giving (and asking, and communicating, and other similar things).

So I thought, well, maybe I'll write a post about that!

But it turned out I had too many conflicting and convoluted thoughts on giving and asking. Seriously, it could be a 30,000 word post and I didn't even know where to start. Ain't gonna happen today.

Problem is, soon I need to go to the pound, even though we are not supposed to call it that, where dogs and cats depend on volunteer helpers. But it IS a pound in the sense that they euthanize animals if they get too overcrowded. And staff is so overworked that an abandoned animal can go days and days without petting or exercise, which stresses them out and makes them even less adoptable. Thus the need for volunteers who get to come in and do the fun stuff while staff has to give shots etc.

Which could be part of the theme of giving! But really it isn't because I enjoy it too much. I'm a Cat Volunteer and I get a Badge and a Smock and get to pet and play with kitties, yay!

Happily, this poor sweet sad guy has been adopted!

Of course I could pretend this nonpost is about putting poor kitties above blog stuff, but that would be a total load of crap. I could just write a real post later tonight because who the hell cares when Cranky Fitness posts come out? But I have other things planned that I'd rather do, and time is up for the Blog for today, and I am trying to follow my own advice about consciously choosing priorities rather than feeling imprisoned by usual routines.

So this is one of those posts (I've done it before as regulars might recall), where I prattle on about not doing stuff to plant the idea in your mind that there may be something YOU TOO could not do today! Or, as in this case, do a half-assed job of, and cross it off your list in a fraction of the amount of time a Good Job would take.

Then go out and do something you really want to do instead!

Anyone else need a "get out of work free" card? See any opportunities today or in the near future to use it?

Card Photo: happyworker.comCouch figure: no f--cking clue where I first found it, sorry.

63 comments:

It's good to see you are just like the rest of us!! I usually just chant over my coffee saying "Come on mental clarity"! I'm usually soon distracted by the view out my window. I look right into the rooms at the hotel across the street Sooo...

C'mon, Crabby, you should know by now that the Cranky Fitness readership is going to back you all the way on this one, especially when you're setting us all a great example by sticking to your priorities when the going gets tough, and ESPECIALLY when it involves adorable kitties! Take as long as you need to catch up with things, and we'll all still be here waiting whenever you're ready...

One of the problems I've had shifting from corporate world to self-employed world is the tendency to over-work. (This would be wonderful if the over-work resulted in gobs of $$$, but it doesn't. But I'm sure you wouldn't know anything about that. :)) So anyway, may I borrow your card to use on Saturday? And if you have a cupcake card, I'd like to borrow that as well.

My Get Out of Work Free card for the rest of the week: I posted the eviction notice (lawyer's letter) on the six-month-arrears tenants' door this afternoon. Whatever doesn't get done for the next few days, at least THAT's done.

My get out of work today was to play with the new Kitty we adopted from our local shelter over the weekend. Actually looks a lot like the one u pictured here. Brighter eyes and a few more stripes. Today was the first day she barely hid under the bed. So this post was very relevant to me

Hooray for New Kitty and thanks on behalf of all the shelter people and kitties that you took one home and adopted it!!! Especially the scared ones, they're a tough sell.

I personally LOVE the cats that are shy and skittish and selective about their humans; when they do warm up and bond it seems like a special deeper bond than with the cats who are indiscriminately affectionate.

What I really want to do today is take a ride "over the bridge" (you know the bridge of which I speak, Cape Cod Summer Crab) and check out the huge new supermarket that opened last fall, and stock my freezer full of deals, 'cause apparently their prices are LOW! LOW! LOW!

But as I have to go "over said bridge" tomorrow morning anyway for an appointment, in the interest of efficiency and fuel conservation, I will combine the supermarket trip with the other thing, and figure out something to make for dinner tonight with whatever we have left in the house!

Crabby, I insist that you contact me when you and your arthropod other half are on Cape. We shall meet.

And yeah, as I recall the new store had tons of deals, though it wasn't exactly a paragon of organic whole produce and healthy choices unless its a different one than the one I'm thinking of. A little far for us from Ptown but we were coming back from somewhere.

We so miss Costco, WF, Trader Joes etc when we're on the East Coast. We can get to em but it takes HOURS and several coolers to make a run.

My cat is like that. He parked himself on my front porch and cried to be let in whenever he heard me. Then he would try to force his way in whenever I opened the door. I finally took him in thinking he was an adult cat. Then he started growing and growing. Now that monster insists on sleeping on my neck every night!

Thanks for the "get out of work free" card!!Today is my only day off, and instead of getting my chores done, I think the weiner dogs and I will be lounging! ( they already are giving me the cue by sleeping on the couch as I write this..)

This blog post was the perfecty symmetry of concepts - since cats have so much to teach us about about "doing" and "being". They've nailed both while managing to get us to obediently care for them in the process! They know when to nap, when to play and when to sharpen their kitty skills - AND how to simply enjoy being appreciated by others:).

First time in decades in my adult life that I am without a furry companion of some sort (feline or canine - or avian!). Although my allergies are all the better for it, feels strange.... So, I particularly enjoy the occasional kitty pics and chat :) (Just - don't forget the pooches, too. I have to confess that I love that indiscriminate affection! But am reluctant to consider what that says about me!)

I suspect it probably means you two are more psychologically evolved, Anon and Mary Anne, and don't require the illusion that an animal senses something "special" about you and your relationship in order to value it profoundly!

I love it and am saving the 'get out of work' card for my birthday. I'm taking the day off and I want to TAKE THE DAY off. Just today I found myself thinking - oh it would be a good day to get this or that accomplished. But I don't want it to be a day about checking things off of my 'to do' list. I want to be about checking things off of my 'I want' list. Thank you! Permission to take the day off...just what I needed. :)

That's great that you volunteer your time at the shelter. I'm doing some checking into that for myself and my wife. That is really what my wife wants to eventually do full time is to work at our local shelter.

I gotta say it's one of the most rewarding volunteer opportunities one could find. And I SUCK at volunteering generally and usually end up quitting, feeling guilty. Hope you and your wife can make it happen!

I pulled one of these wednesday night. I really should have gotten some needed work done for a deadline, but I just couldn't be arsed. The time wasting did me a world of good mentally and I just have to play catch up today...

I love that advice Crabby. Actually, I had a similar discussion with my daughter last night. She is in her final year of college working on a degree in elementary education. As a "Type A" personality, she has ALWAYS overbooked herself. Between college, working a full time job in a respite childcare program, officer in her sorority, fundraiser chairman, working out, yoga, side babysitting jobs, and starting a new relationship (which she never had time for before) she calls home exhusted almost every week. It is difficult to get her to understand the importance of saying "no" sometime. She wants to do everything, try everthing, save the world. She really belives that once college is over and she starts her carreer things will be easier (haha) Those of us who want to make a difference will continue to live our priorities therefore we must learn to priortize first and foremost.

Sounds like raised a wonderful generous daughter MrsMars and the world needs more like her!

But yeah, that whole "put on your own oxygen mask first" analogy comes to mind; you can't help others as effectively if you're so busy taking care of the world you don't get a chance to take care of your own needs and get all burnt out.

Not a danger in my case, as I didn't seem to get the "do-gooder" gene myself... but even slackers can get overwhelmed. :)

Love your candor. Still at the end of the day you wrote something of value. I am self-employed and often have to trick myself into producing by telling myself,"this is my job and I am going to get in trouble if I don't produce." Don't feel guilty about pacing yourself either. Love the blog:-)

Perfect timing. Thanks for the card, Crabby! My on-line workout schedule tells me I am supposed to take tomorrow off. You tell me I have a free day. Gee, I'm not exactly one of the "it was meant to be" types, but maybe all these reminders will help me avoid sneaking out for a little ride or run. Hmm. A fun book, a leisurely walk with the binoculars, a few calls to friends...sounds pretty nice.

"Get out of work free" seems great! Ha ha. Want to have one of those, so that I can use it whenever I'm feeling stressed out. If you feel overworked and all, you have to take a rest for a while and do nothing. We cannot work if our brain is too tired and if our body is over fatigued. Have a break, and enjoy every minute that you have when you got nothing to do. Ha ha.